Description
Applying Harm Reduction Principles in Peer Support Relationships
January 29, 2025 | 1:00-2:30pm
Can’t make this session? We’re offering it again on January 30th! Register here
Description:
In recent years, Peers are finally getting due recognition and support as critical members of the community health workforce, and our communities more generally. Likewise, Harm Reduction is experiencing overdue recognition as a valuable set of principles for serving our most vulnerable community members. Such rapid growth has at times generated misconception, confusion and strain related to the principles and practices of peers serving at the intersections of different service sectors. In this session we review the principles of harm reduction and their potential to support the shared and valued work of peers in our communities.
This Session, potential future training sessions and Technical Assistance is provided by Reduce Harm, Inc. Please visit our website to view our backgrounds, Mission, and the work we do.
Audience:
Recovery Coaches, Certified Intentional Peer Support Specialists, Community Health Workers and/or Harm Reduction Peer Navigators.
Looking for harm reduction from the clinical perspective? Check out other sessions from Reduce Harm Inc for clinical staff on January 15th or January 16th
Objectives:
• Review and Clarify the Principles of Harm Reduction
• Explore shared values of Harm Reduction, Recovery, and other Peer roles
• Identify unmet needs and opportunities for the continued development and support of the Peer workforce in supporting multiple pathways to wellness
• Identify opportunities for mutual support and deeper-dives into topic-specific Trainings and Technical Assistance
Presenter:
Kevin Irwin (he/him) brings thirty years of experience working at the intersections of public health practice, policy, and research. His mission to improve individual and community health equity and wellbeing for marginalized populations has always been driven by his own gratitude as a person in recovery. He has been humbled and privileged to learn from communities across the country and overseas in various roles as a service provider, program developer, implementer, manager, director, evaluator, researcher, consultant, educator, trainer, mentor, advocate, and more.
Kevin has contracted with non-profits, State Bureaus and Agencies, universities, and other entities across the country. He has served as a co-founding inaugural Board Chair for several organizations to help their respective formations and launches, including Hope on Haven Hill, the New Hampshire Harm Reduction Coalition, SOS Recovery Community Organization, Texas Harm Reduction Alliance, and Reduce Harm, Inc. More recently he has served on the Boards of Vineyard House, the Friendship Service Center, the Center for Trauma-Responsive Practice Change, Corazon San Antonio, and the Homeless Leadership Coalition in Bend, Oregon, and more. Obsessed with systems change and services integration, his work intentionally spans and connects social determinants, community empowerment, prevention, treatment, and supports.
Contact hours:
1.5 contact hours for social workers, licensed clinical professional counselors, and behavioral health professionals.
1.5 contact hours for drug and alcohol counselors pending approval from the Maine Board of Drug and Alcohol Counselors.
1.5 Category I contact hours for Maine psychologists. CCSME is a pre-approved sponsor and provider of Maine Professional Education Activities for Psychologists.
1.5 contact hours for CHES. CCSME is a designated provider of continuing education contact hours (CECH) in health education by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc.
Supported by the Maine Substance Use Disorder Learning Community
